clearheaded
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of clearheaded
First recorded in 1700–10; clear + head ( def. ) + -ed 3 ( def. )
Explanation
If you're clearheaded, you're wide awake, focused, and thinking sensibly. A clearheaded student will probably do better on a calculus test than her sleepy, confused classmate. Complex thought and analysis ideally requires a clearheaded thinker — and you can also describe the thinking and decisions themselves as clearheaded. A clearheaded debate between political candidates is much more useful and interesting than a muddled, angry, and confusing argument. The word clearheaded, sometimes spelled with a hyphen, clear-headed, originated in the early 18th century.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Deciding to rent first allows you to settle in slowly, let the early enthusiasm pass and put yourself in a position to make clearheaded decisions.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 24, 2026
She says she hasn’t had a fall since, and feels more clearheaded.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 22, 2025
“I’ve never felt stronger or more clearheaded about my priorities and mission.”
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 11, 2024
“He sounded clearheaded, with clear speech,” Shaw said.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 21, 2022
Yesterday—sensible, clearheaded, right-thinking—I decided I must accept that my part in this story was over.
From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
